2016 Goals

Every year, I write down my goals. This year, I'm proud to say that I put a lot of thought into what I want 2016 to be like and these are my intentional goals for this year!

Personal:

Fitness. I won't be making any resolutions about having a scheduled workout plan or losing xx pounds--those sorts of things stress me out and make me feel guilty if I fall off the workout wagon, and they have never worked in past years. Mostly, it boils down to eating healthier, but not dieting or jumping on weird nutritional bandwagons; moving around in whatever way makes me happy that day, be it a walk, a run, a weights workout or something different; and treating myself properly from my head to my toes.

Skin. I know, this is weird to have as a resolution. But my skin hasn't been good since I got pregnant almost two years ago, and it's driving me crazy. It's time to figure it out. It's hard to feel pretty when your face is blotchy all the time! I've tried several different regimens and none have worked, and I've gotten discouraged with how much skincare can cost. Enter the amazing Laura, and her skin care recommendations in this post. I ordered everything on her list, and it came out to less than ONE of the other products I was considering buying, and everything on her list has better reviews than the fancy products by Murad and such. They're on their way, and I'm so excited.

Time Management. I want to be much more deliberate in how I use my time. This means wasting less time online, and actually using my planners. Bert got me the one I asked for for Christmas, and I just ordered this larger one to keep at home and plan blog posts. I've also been utilizing the Do-It-Tomorrow app to help me remember my to-do list and have it with me all the time. I also ordered the 2016 calendar printable set from Naptime Diaries; I use these for meal planning, weeks at a glance, and having a work calendar when we get really busy. It helps me so much to have pretty planning materials so I'm actually excited to plan and look at my calendars!

The Blog. I'm doing this thing. So, it's time to plan, and commit, and do it justice. I'm excited!

Take Time for Myself. I need alone time to function. Not piles of it, and often Wacey's naptime is enough. But sometimes, a trip to the store or Starbucks sans bebe, or an afternoon at home to clean and organize without feeling like I need to be spending my time with the boys, or a walk without the stroller are glorious and delightfully recharging. Maybe I'll even get my nails done! I know, whoa, calm down Cass. This also means spending more time actively growing in my faith. Because I'm strapped for time, I ordered this devotional that's geared towards moms. I'll let you know how it works out! I love their stuff, though, so I'm sure it'll be amazing. 

Education. I miss school, and although I don't necessarily want to go back, I don't want to stop learning. So, I'm going to go to stuff. Seminars and whatnot. Colorado State University has a great one in April that I'm hoping to attend, for starters. This one has the added bonus of providing serious content for the blog and networking a little. I need inspiration, and I think this is one way to find it. 

Home & Family:

The Budget. While I'm not awful at budgeting, I would like to improve, and since I'm the main grocery-buyer and bill-payer of the house, it's prudent for me to try. I've started using a budgeting app to help track my expenses, and being more clear with Bert about our cash situation. We are working on paying off our student loans in full, and I would like to be through with them by the time I'm 30, which gives us a few more years. I'm also planning on going to the bank the next time I'm in town without Wacey to open up a few more savings accounts to Bert and I can each have "fun money" accounts without dipping into our main savings account. This also means allocating a good portion of our tax return (hey hey, deduction in the form of Wacey!) to paying off our pickup! We're so close! 

The House. I have several projects that have been on the backburner forever, and we got some money from relatives for Christmas to set aside for house things so I'm going to get them done or go insane. Mainly, I would like to find us a bed frame and finish up our bedroom, find a dresser for the TV upstairs (and chalk paint it!), paint the downstairs dresser that I bought, fix the upstairs curtain situation (lengthen curtains, paint rods and fixtures), and add more finishing touches to the downstairs. Oh and buy a new guest bathroom rug, aka horse blanket, but that's just something I need to remember to pick up at Big R while we're there. Honorable mentions: a gallery wall in the guest bath, shelving in Jay's room (aka Bert's leatherworking room), and reorganizing kitchen cabinets. 

Family. More fun stuff, that's pretty much it. Get outside more! Go to the pool! Swing at the park! A date night or six with just me and my main man. Teaching Wacey how to walk and eat big kid food. You know. And, I'm cooking at least one new recipe a month, and as soon as Wacey is eating adult food, we'll all be eating together at the table.

It might seem like a lot, but for me, these all sound enjoyable, so they'll all be do-able. I'm already on the way for several, and have plans for many more. No, I probably won't accomplish all of them, but I really do think I'll get a big chunk done. I know that you can't plan everything, and life will deal me a different hand than I'm expecting this year because that's how it works. But I enjoy starting with a roadmap of where I'd like this year to take us, even it way make several pit stops along the way.

Or get stuck in a cul-de-sac for a minute, because, you know, that happens. 2

2016, I'm coming for you!